By Leeor Neta
Assistant Director for Public Interest Programs
On Friday, a group of first-year students participated in the annual Golden Gate University School of Law Orientation Service Project. This year, a group of 30 students had the privilege of volunteering at the St. Anthony’s Foundation, a privately-funded nonprofit foundation in the Tenderloin community of San Francisco. Aside from providing warm meals and clothing, St Anthony’s provides addiction recovery services and occupational training.
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Here is what some students had to say about the Orientation Service Project:
“When we arrived at St. Anthony’s, our group was warmly greeted by our volunteer coordinator, Marie O’Connor. We were introduced to the history of St. Anthony’s as well as the societal circumstances which contribute to the dire need for their services. I learned that the primary mission of St. Anthony’s is to treat individuals from all walks of life with respect - regardless of faith, race, sexuality, and even legal citizenship — and welcome them as friends and equals.
After the session, we were divided into four groups and sent to our respective locations to aid the regular volunteers. One group served in the Dining Room where over 2,500 meals are served each day. Trays of food were served to everyone from the elderly, the disabled, and even families who walked through the door. Other volunteers bussed the tables, picking up trays, receiving kind greetings and praise from the individuals they were assisting, and even striking up casual conversation with the guests.
While bussing I found myself speaking to a woman who knew little English. When I found out she was a native Palestinian, as am I, we struck up a conversation in Arabic and she did not hesitate to share with me the source of her plight.
The irony of meeting a woman whose origins are so closely related to mine truly struck a nerve. That was the last thing I expected to encounter during the project. It was as if I was looking into the eyes of my own grandmother, and the emotional connection was instantaneous. I wanted to help her, and suddenly everything for which this foundation stood seemed so real. Other volunteers had stories to share as they helped provide goods to others in need, distribute food to home-bound people, and visit with the elderly.
At the end of our time, we were introduced to a man in his mid-forties who is working through a recovery and rehabilitation program. After sharing with us his difficult challenges in overcoming alcohol and drug addiction, it became apparent just how real the struggle to stay “clean” is for him and how such behavior nearly destroyed his family relations and, ultimately, his own life. Walking out of the St Anthony’s Foundation as future members of the legal profession, I understood how GGU students are a means of lending a helping hand to individuals who are ostracized by their community. What a powerful experience."
- Aseil Mohmoud, 1L
"When I decided to go along to St. Anthony’s dining hall on Friday, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. When the Tenderloin makes the news, it is usually for drug-related violent crime. By the end of the day, however, I had gained an invaluable lesson in humility, compassion, and civic responsibility.
From my initial orientation to St. Anthony’s, my visit to a nearby affiliated senior center, the sit-down meal in the dining hall, and the final talk given by a man in the rehabilitation program, the one constant and present element that was championed throughout was the common bond of our human condition.
On the heels of Bob Holly’s impassioned speech about professionalism at the close of orientation week, my time at St. Anthony’s was a poignant reminder of the privilege and responsibility we bear to care for our fellow citizens."
- Adam Bentley, 1L
"I will not soon forget how warmly our efforts were welcomed nor the fact that the people we helped are just a small segment of larger populations who need compassion and advocacy.
As we start Law School and feel especially anxious and uncertain, the Orientation Service Project was a helpful reminder to feel fortunate that we are in the privileged position of giving rather than receiving help.
We will only become more capable of serving others in matters of great importance, with skills and training that few of our fellow men and women will possess. Taking the time to serve those in need was a great reminder of the importance of service to others in my future profession."
- Vincent Coffey, 1L
"I went with a small group to the Madonna Center, which is a facility for low-income senior women in the Tenderloin. It was a fulfilling experience to engage with a handful of women as they shared their laughter, struggles and parts of their life stories with me. Afterward at the St. Anthony’s dining room we all had lunch and another opportunity to interact with some folks looking to enjoy a meal. It was very similar to a big family dinner.
New to the San Francisco area, what I’ve heard of the Tenderloin is basically to avoid it. However, I had the honor to see that there exists a sense of hope, generosity and perseverance amongst the inhabitants. The members of our community are our potential clients. Getting to know some of them, even just a little bit, was an invaluable experience."
- Tovah Trimming, 1L
